How Not To Sell Books At An Event #amwriting #marketing

So let’s pretend you’ve written a book and had it published, and a bad man in a mask holds a gun on you and forces you to go to a book-selling event and take your books out of the box, but you don’t want to sell any books. Here’s how to almost guarantee you won’t sell any:

Put one copy of your book flat on the table. Do NOT put your book on a book stand or a rack or (assuming you fooled the bad man and didn’t bring your display materials) don’t prop one copy up against a stack of other copies. If people can’t see the cover, they won’t be tempted over to your table.

Remain seated at all times. Do NOT stand up when you see people approach.

Do NOT make eye contact. Do NOT smile.

Never engage or attempt to engage people in conversation, not about your book, not about them.

Never ask people what they like to read. If they reply that they like to read something you don’t write but somebody else in the room does, don’t point them to your fellow vendor. That might make the other vendor likely to point other people to YOU, and it might make your non-customer think I don’t like this stuff, but I know somebody who does, and this writer is so darned nice, I think I’ll buy this for my friend.

Don’t bring and display bookmarks or business cards so people who don’t want to buy at the event can find your stuff later.

Don’t bring a tablecloth with you; make your table as dull and unattractive as possible.

Never bring a partner so there’s always somebody at the table. People can’t buy books if there’s nobody there to buy them from.

Give no thought to what your book is about. Don’t come up with a one- or two-sentence tagline, a ten-second elevator pitch, or a slightly longer synopsis. If somebody asks you what you write, you want to say something like, “Oh, you know. Stuff.” Don’t be tempted to ask somebody who has read and loved your book to help you with these pitches.

Complain out loud about all the drawbacks of the venue, the organizer, and the attendees. Continue to complain after the event is over, but offer no feedback to the organizer privately or in the appropriate forum. That way, you won’t be invited back to that venue, even if you bring your bad man with a gun with you.

Well, there’s a start on what NOT to do if you want to sell books. Like, don’t do this:

Share this:

Like this:

Related

I was born in Louisville, Kentucky, but now live in the woods in southern Indiana. Though I only write fiction, I love to read non-fiction. The more I learn about this world, the more fantastic I see it is.
Marian Allen's Google profile

One thought on “How Not To Sell Books At An Event #amwriting #marketing”

Wow. No wonder I’m not successful at not selling my books. I don’t do any of these things. Time to step up and take control of my events so I can have people stop bugging me and leave me alone when I’m at a book signing. If you want to get high quality daydreaming accomplished, and I do, then I will start following your advice.

LOL! Tony, you are absolutely one of THE WORST I’ve ever seen at NOT selling books. You might as well not even come to events, because you buy books and then, by the end of the event, you HAVE TO BUY MORE because you sold the ones you brought. It hardly seems worth it to you.Marian Allen would love to share..Free Reads

Weekends ago, I encountered such a woman at the bookstore. She sat at the plain table with five or so copies of her book and some posters flat on the table. I said hello and she said hello and then she added, “Hello, you may have a poster,” as if this were my reward for good manners. I was tempted to say hello again, but I didn’t. I said, “Oh no thank you,” and she continued to sit there like a tree stump.Joey would love to share..SoCS — H is for ha

Most writers are, by nature, rather solitary creatures. Face-to-face marketing without being obnoxious is a real struggle for almost every writer I know. Oh, and the “without being obnoxious” varies with the event, the venue, the individual you’re addressing, and your neighbors. Bleh!Marian Allen would love to share..Free Reads

I always wonder where authors get their table setups, as some can be quite intricate. Where do you find a good multi-level display shelf/rack like the one in that picture? I’m not even sure what to call it to Google for it… so I usually just bring a stack of books or a box, and then prop one book face-out against the rest!

We get our wire book racks on eBay, usually. They can get pricey, so we look for used ones in good condition. We’ve made some nice multi-level displays by unloading the books, putting a box or two on the table, and covering the boxes with cloth. You can get single-book stands at Michael’s or Hobby Lobby. Plate stands will do in a pinch. We bought some Egyptian cat figurines (our logo) and some tiny little turtles (to tie into my fantasy series) online.Marian Allen would love to share..His Room Surprises Him, But Not As Much As What The Doctor Says #SampleSunday #HowsThisForClickBait @HollyJahangiri

Welcome to my site!

I've been a writer since I could think, and a cook since I was in middle school. I'm also an inveterate this-and-thatter. So this blog, which is supposed to be professional, kind of isn't. I blog about anything I damn well please. Oh--and food. Don't forget the food.

I’m a resource!

Per Bastet Publications

Where timeless tales unfold.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here:
Cookie Policy